A Center Based Study of Pivotal Response Treatment for Preschoolers with Autism

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: Intensive Center-Based Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT-C)

• Registration Number: NCT03778827
• Lead Sponsor: Stanford University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of pivotal response training (PRT) in an intensive center-based environment to treat social communication deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of pivotal response training (PRT) in an intensive center-based preschool environment to treat social communication deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study will compare Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) to a delayed treatment group (DTG). PRT is a naturalistic behavioral intervention based on the principles of applied behavior analysis which has shown to be effective in treating the core deficits in children with ASD. The study will compare the combination of parent training with intensive center-based PRT (PRT-C) to a DTG and will include 44 children ages 2 to 3.11 years with ASD and social communication deficits.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2018-12-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-12-15
• Study First Posted: 2018-12-19
• Study Start: 2019-05-13
• Status Verified: 2024-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-10-07
• Last Update Posted: 2024-10-09
• Primary Completion: 2025-12
• Study Completion: 2025-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 44

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on clinical interview and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (DSM-5) and confirmed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2) or Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS-2); Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (DSM-5), and expert clinical opinion
• Boys and girls between 2 years and 3 years and 11 months
• Ability to participate in the testing procedures to the extent that valid standard scores can be obtained
• Stable treatment (e.g., applied behavior analysis (ABA), speech therapy, psychotropic medication(s) or biomedical intervention(s) for at least 1 month prior to baseline measurements with no anticipated changes during study participation
• Developmentally delayed with Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) or Developmental Profile (DP-4) composite score below 85 (1 Standard Deviation below the mean)
• Availability of at least one English-speaking parent who can consistently participate in parent training and research measures.

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Exclusion Criteria

• Current or lifetime diagnosis of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., bipolar disorder, etc.)
• Presence of active medical problem (e.g., unstable seizure disorder or heart disease)
• Child primary language other than English
• Previous adequate trial of Pivotal Response Treatment
• More than 15 hours per week of in-home applied behavior analysis (ABA).

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intensive Center-Based Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT-C)	Intensive Center-Based Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT-C)	Intensive Center-Based Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT-C) will consist of a combination of one weekly 60-minute individual parent training session and 12 weekly hours ( 3 hours per day for 4 days per week) with the child in center-based therapy environment for a total of 13 weekly treatment hours.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mean change from baseline on the frequency if the child's functional utterances on the structured lab observation at 12 Weeks	Baseline and Week 12
Mean change from baseline on the Brief Observation of Communication Change (BOSCC) total score at 12 Weeks	Baseline and Week 12
Mean Change from baseline on the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 Total Score at 12 Weeks	Baseline and Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mean change from baseline on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales 3rd Edition Socialization subscale at 12 Weeks	Baseline and Week 12
Mean change from baseline on the MacArthur-Bates Communication Development Inventory at 12 Weeks	Baseline and Week 12

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Stanford University School of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Stanford, California, United States